The Park Forest Environment Commission presented its accomplishments from the past year at the Village board meeting on Monday night.
The commission's presentation was one of many at the board meeting, including the swearing-in of two officers and the non-profit Habitat for Humanity, which highlighted its work in the Village.
The Park Forest Environment Commission Chair Julie Baker, took to the podium at Village Hall and addressed Mayor Joseph A. Woods and the village trustees as they sat at the dais. Baker thanked everyone for their support and spoke about the strides the commission made in 2023.
"It's an honor serving our community and helping it become a better example for the rest of the world on how to live a renewable lifestyle," Baker said. "Caring for our environment ensures our survival in the coming years as we see communities lose resources and the ability to sustain themselves."
Baker highlighted the success of two Shredding and Drug Takeback events in 2023. The events saw a combined 168 pounds of items shredded and 270 pounds of cardboard recycled. She added since 2016, the annual RecycleFest collected over 183,000 pounds of reused or recycled items, including electronics, TVs, books, flags, bikes, and trophies.
Mayor Woods praised the Environment Commission and said they're setting the bar in the southland.
"I gotta tell you, the Environment Commission is one of the most passionate commissions that we have in the Village," Woods said. "I'm not biased, of course; I love them all. But, I will say, walking down the street is different after going to one of your events. You just have to pick something up if you see it, right? It just changes your mindset."
After the mayor spoke, many trustees also praised the Environment Commission for making Park Forest a cleaner place and educating residents on ways they can help with various causes.
Trustee Erin Slone, who's the trustee liaison for the commission, said she appreciated how they get things done even with a skeleton crew sometimes.
"I still don't think you gave everything [the commission accomplished] during the year," Slone said. There are so many ideas that are kicked around on a given evening, and sometimes [the concern is] we don't have enough people or time, but it still gets done—that's commitment."
The seven member commission, currently with two vacancies, meets on the first Thursday of the month. Residents interested in serving on the commission may apply now by clicking here. For questions, or for more information, contact Sustainability Coordinator Carrie Malfeo at 708-503-8153